Overstepping the Bounds

The 2002 European Union (EU) directive on the energy performance of buildings
(Directive 2002/91/EC) set minimum standards on the energy performance of new
buildings and existing buildings. It also indicated that these would be subject to periodic
renovation. In some countries the directive supported policymakers in their bid for
national commitments to carbon reduction. In others, it affirmed existing commitments.
In most countries, it informed the ongoing reformulation of building regulations. This
paper explores energy related developments in building regulations for new housing in
Denmark (DK) and the United Kingdom (UK). The interest of the comparison lies in
similarities in the type of changes introduced into the regulations and differences in
industry responses.